Barcelona and Brazil icon Ronaldinho has expressed his hope that young sensation Lamine Yamal can build a career as remarkable as his own and Lionel Messi’s, praising the Spanish prodigy as a breath of fresh air for the sport.
Yamal etched his name into history on April 29, 2023, when he made his league debut for Betis at only 15 years, 9 months, and 16 days, becoming the youngest player to take the field for an official match for Barcelona. His standing has only grown since then.
"Messi and I have already written history, now Lamine Yamal's turn has come. What he has shown us until now, at this age and with so much talent, is amazing. I enjoy watching players like him; they are good for football. Let's see if he can have a career similar to ours," Ronaldinho has told Spanish newspaper Marca.
Now, Yamal is among the deadliest forwards in Barcelona and is considered by most to be one of football's brightest young stars. He has featured in 114 games for the Catalan outfit, scoring 25 and assisting 34. He has already chipped in with 18 goals and 25 assists this season alone, playing an instrumental role in Barca's record domestic treble.
Though comparisons to legends would come naturally when a player explodes onto the scene with such promise, Ronaldinho emphasized that each footballer is different and wished that Yamal keep growing.
"I never liked those comparisons because each footballer has his own way of playing. It matters that Lamine Yamal makes the people happy, like I did during my time, or like Messi afterwards. I hope he develops the potential he has shown so far," he stated.
Together with his admiration for Yamal, Ronaldinho was also queried regarding the contentious Ballon d'Or 2024 snub of Brazil's Vinicius Jr. The winner of the 2005 Ballon d'Or termed it "unfair," citing the Real Madrid winger's continued success.
"Vinicius was undeservedly snubbed for the Ballon d'Or. He's been dominating the biggest tournaments for years, even scoring winning goals in Champions League finals. I believe he would have deserved it," Ronaldinho said, alluding to Manchester City's Rodrygo being awarded the prize instead.
